(LinkAsia: March 9, 2012)
Yul Kwon:
The largest legislative body in the world is holding its annual meeting this week. At about 3,000 members, China’s National People’s Congress covers topics similar to its counterparts in other countries. But faced with a weak global economy, this year China and the rest of the world are focusing more than usual on the Chinese economy and the impending leadership transition this fall. For example, Japanese broadcaster NHK covered the social issues that China is struggling to address and speculated on the transition of the country’s top leaders, many of whom are expected to step down to make way for a younger generation later this year. Here's the story.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: March 5, 2012

Reporter:
This is the Great Hall of the People where the annual conference of the National People’s Congress is taking place. About 3,000 delegates from all over China have gathered here in Beijing. Premier Wen Jiabao used a two-hour speech on the first day of the congress to outline the government’s policies for the coming year. He said China’s leaders would put the brakes on their speedy economy and shift from growth to stability.

Wen Jiabao, Chinese Premier:
The target for this year’s economic growth is to increase GDP by 7.5 percent. We hope to make economic development more sustainable and efficient so as to achieve higher level, higher quality development over a longer period of time.

Reporter:
Chinese officials had kept the target at around 8 percent for the past 7 years. Wen blamed the change on the international credit crisis and domestic problems, such as inflation. He also frankly addressed some of the other issues facing the government.

Wen Jiabao:
Problems concerning land expropriation, housing demolition, workplace safety, food and drug safety, and income distribution are still very serious. And the people are still very concerned about them.

Reporter:
Many Chinese people are frustrated with corruption or local bureaucrats for neglecting their duties. The government seems to be trying to maintain social stability to ensure a smooth power transition this fall by placing priority on people over economic growth.

This shift in policy is not the only thing attracting public interest. The congress session is also an occasion to speculate on the leadership change that's expected at the Communist Party’s convention this fall.

The nine-member Politburo Standing Committee effectively controls China, a country that's been ruled by one political party since 1949. The committee's getting an overhaul. Seven members will likely be replaced by younger leaders at this fall's convention.

Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to assume the post of general secretary, putting him on track to become president of China next year. Vice Premier Li Keqiang will likely become his premier. Bo Xilai is widely expected to join the Standing Committee. Right now, he's the secretary of the Communist Party's Chongqing Committee. Bo is currently involved in a controversy. We learned just before the congress opened that one of his close aides is being investigated on corruption and other charges. Bo seems to be trying to show things are business as usual. He's attending the meetings at the congress. But some observers say the series of developments may have some impact on China's change of leadership.

The power struggle over top posts appears to be accelerating, and there's a lot of speculation here in Beijing. People in China and other countries are closely watching the congress to see what party leaders will do.

(Mosaic Video Alert: February 8, 2011) Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis continued to stage protest rallies and sit-ins in Sana'a and several other cities, demanding the ousting of the regime. Another "day of rage" was triggered by the death of a young man, who was killed by supporters of the General People's Congress ruling party a few days ago. Meanwhile in Sana'a's central prison, two prisoners were killed and several others were wounded in clashes between prisoners and anti-riot police. Hundreds of prisoners refused to return to their prison cells after the daily rest period, and some eyewitnesses say that some prisoners even climbed up to the prison's roof in a show of rebellion against the regime.

 

(Mosaic Video Alert: February 3, 2011) Dubai TV reports that anti-government protesters planned a demonstration in Sana'a's Tahrir Square but the ruling General People's Congress party pitched tents in the square, forcing the opposition to move its protest to Sana'a University. The opposition is calling for political reforms and for the participation of all political parties in the country's national dialogue.

 

The Iraqi elections are over but failed to produce a clear winner. While former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi narrowly finished first in the poll, it might take weeks before we find out if he'll be able to build the coalition needed to achieve the magic number of 163 seats in the Iraqi Parliament in order to form a government. But there is another election soon to take place in Sudan, and let me start by predicting the results: current President Omar el-Bashir will be elected for another term.

Opposition parties from the south have been calling for a delay of the elections, the first multiparty ones to be held since 1986, and threatening a boycott due to concerns over security and possible rigging. However, al-Bashir -- who is running for office again despite being wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Darfur -- has been campaigning all over the country and insisting the elections be held as scheduled.

 

At a recent rally held at Damazin in the Blue Nile state, al-Bashir lashed out

at a coalition of opposition parties who have been calling for a temporary delay of the elections.

"Holding elections in Sudan is a national obligation that should be fulfilled... we don't have options in this respect. If they took the right to oppose the elections, we do have the same right to reject the referendum in the south."

Al-Bashir also threatened to kick out election monitors, and cancel a referendum on independence for the south should opposition parties boycott April 11-13 elections.

Meanwhile, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) announced on Wednesday that its candidate, Yasir Arman, would boycott the April poll because of electoral irregularities and the continuing conflict in the country's western Darfur region. A concern echoed by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"Conditions in Sudan are not yet conducive for a free, fair and credible election," Georgette Gagnon, HRW's Africa director, said last week. "Unless there is a dramatic improvement in the situation, it's unlikely that the Sudanese people will be able to vote freely for leaders of their choice."

According to HRW, the problems in Darfur and repression of political opponents are major obstacles to a free and fair vote.

In a report released on Tuesday, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group accused the government in Khartoum of using flawed census figures to draft unfair election laws and skew electoral districts in favor of the ruling National Congress Party. Also, the U.S.-based Carter Center, which has been allowed to observe the process, has suggested that Sudan postpone the vote to ensure that it can be properly administered by the National Election Commission.

Khalil Ibrahim, the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the largest rebel group in Sudan's western Darfur region, also joined the call on for a delay of the elections.

"These elections are based mainly on false senses, especially in Darfur. Masses of populations ... will be excluded from the elections," He continued to describe the elections as a "theatrical act" on the Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV.

But al-Bashir remains unfazed. He has been campaigning diligently, appearing in different regions wearing different costumes. Last year he defied the International Criminal Court which issued an arrest warrant for his arrest for war crimes in Darfur. In a few days, he'll parade victorious in Khartoum; just another scene, from another act.

 

Article first published on the Huffington Post

Watch the Video

Jamal Dajani's latest Mosaic Intelligence Report on Link TV looks at Palestine, and the upcoming congress of the Fateh (or Fatah) political party, a faction of the PLO that is facing its own internal squabbles and charges of corruption. As the video makes clear, there is no love lost between rival factions Fateh and Hamas, and the divide between the Fateh base in the West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza seems far wider than the mere 25 geographic miles would indicate. And for most Palestinians, neither Fateh nor Hamas provide effective governance, or any real hope for a unified Palestinian state.

 

 

Read Dajani's article on the Huffington Post for more, including a very lively discussion. And check out daily episodes of Mosaic: World News from the Middle East and Dajani's Twitter feed for updates.

In the meantime, don't forget that right now Mosaic, the Mosaic Intelligence Report and Link's Global News Hour with Al Jazeera English need your support! Keep this unique and unparalleled news resource alive by making a donation to Link TV today.

Read the www.forward.com article about the visit by Keith Allison, the only member of congress from the Muslim community. He made a video which shows the horror of Gaza daily life. But he does not use it as a weapon of propaganda. He is trying to make a point about the US Congress needing to be more open to other sources of information.

 

He is an example of a difficult balancing act, any Muslim American working inside the beltway-DC- of American power has to make do with. Maybe he is a bridge to other members of Congress who are not afraid of AIPAC. It could also be that GAZA has been a turning point, as it raised a lot of eyebrows even among American Jews. Obama in

Turkey repeated his 2 state solution emphasis, which contrasts with BIBI silence on the issue.